The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of almond tree, Prunus dulcis, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as xe2x80x98Kochixe2x80x99 and more particularly to an almond tree which produces fruit for commercial harvesting, hulling, shelling and shipping during the third week of August (Aug. 15-20th) in the Yuba City area of the Sacramento Valley of Northern California and which is further distinguished by producing a soft shelled almond, the kernel having a flavor characteristic that is excellent.
There are a number of criteria of which a commercial variety of tree fruits and nuts must excel in order to be commercially successful, such as ripening date, flavor, texture, storage ability as well as shipping quality. With tree fruits as well as nuts such as almonds the early ripening date, the quality of the meat of the kernel, freedom from unusual number of doubles, as well as the soft shell of the present almond makes it commercially attractive with a substantial likelihood of success.
Almond varieties in particular are characterized as to soft shell or hard shell, the latter characteristic making kernel removal and marketing more difficult. Most particularly in almond varieties of tree fruits and nuts, the ease of shelling and the high quality of the kernel plus a very low percentage of doubles (confirmed by Blue Diamond Growers in December, 2001 at 0.54 of 1%) gives the present almond an excellent appeal to the distributor and consumer.
The present invention of almond tree was discovered by the inventor in 1994 as a volunteer seedling approximately xc2xc mile from a xe2x80x98Drakexe2x80x99 almond orchard on Carlson Road several miles south of Yuba City, Calif.
After several years of observation the inventor had the new invention asexually propagated on Nemaguard and Lovell peach tree rootstocks at the Sierra Gold Nursery located at 5320 Garden Hwy, Yuba City, Calif. in 1997. These trees have been observed over the past five years and the kernels observed and analyzed during the past two years. The trees have been observed by the inventor, as well as nursery and university personnel and have continued to be identical to the original tree of the new variety. A total of 50 trees were planted in four orchards throughout the almond growing areas of California outside of this growing site and have confirmed the identical characteristics by above named personnel. The trees are in their 4th leaf and the vigor of this new variety is similar to the vigor of the xe2x80x98Nonpareil.xe2x80x99
The present xe2x80x98Kochixe2x80x99 almond tree is characterized by producing a soft shelled, well sealed almond which resembles the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 almond. The fruit (nut in this case) produced by the xe2x80x98Kochixe2x80x99 almond is ripe (mature) for commercial harvesting, hulling, shelling and shipping in the third week of August (Aug. 15-20). The new and novel variety, as stated earlier, is probably more similar to the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 but distinguishes itself by harvesting a week before xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 with a high quality and high percentage of meat. The meat weight is 55.1% of the total weight of the almond in the shell. The low percentage of doubles in the shell (0.54%) is an excellent characteristic. Although this new invention resembles the xe2x80x98Nonpareil,xe2x80x99 the meat quality is sweeter and slightly darker.